Bayh Gone, Edwards In, Newt Way Out

Evan Bayh is out, and John Edwards is in. As the Indiana senator decided running for President in 2008 would be too costly (and not because of Tom Vilsack's war chest!), Edwards is planning to launch his second White House bid in New Orleans with a campaign designed to bring middle-class and poor people together. Except that the middle class looks down on the poor even more than the rich - at least the rich give to charity! (The middle class pays taxes, which they think is more than enough to fight poverty.) Is John Edwards the second coming of Robert Kennedy? Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, Newt Gingrich, who also feels passionately about poor people - he's against them - is also hinting at a presidential run, hoping to become the first former Speaker of the House since James Knox Polk and only the second former Speaker in history to win the White House. Personally, I think Newt's best chance of becoming President was when he was Speaker, when he was third in line to the Presidency and would have assumed it if Clinton had been assassinated by a talk radio fan and Al Gore suddenly developed rigor mortis. Gingrich apparently hopes to renew American civilization . . . and other contradictions in terms.